sidereal

[S u N f r O s T ~]

SIDEREAL
Limited Edition & Valencia Andrews - Breeders Cup Marathon
Fleet Street & Amber Black - Blue Mountain Stakes
of, relating to or concerned with the stars

Valencia Andrews wondered if all of her workouts would be as thrilling as the last one. In The Spotlight had worked so well that Valencia doubted she wouldn’t be second choice behind Bella Luna on race day. The young filly had proven herself...but she did not own that filly. She had bought the colt she currently rode towards the track with earnings from her first mount ever, Mercurial Magic. Limited Edition had been an impulse buy from a Witch Creek auction as a yearling. She had trained him up herself, campaigned him through his juvenile season with advice and then conducted this season almost independently of Amber’s advice. And they had come out as champions of their division once more, with seven Horse of the Year wins including the Preakness Stakes, Belmont Stakes and Climax Cup. That was two out of three in the Triple Crown and one of the most premier three year old dirt races. Few could boast of such an impressive season. Valencia was proud to bring this colt back to the Breeders Cup. They had tasted victory last year in the Juvenile, and perhaps this year they would be victorious in the Marathon.

Twelve furlongs was a surprising distance for this colt to excel at. He had been bred originally as a miler guaranteed to get the distance of the Kentucky Derby at the least, and then expanded in his preferences under her own training. And now, Ed was among the top marathoners in his age group. He was incredibly proven at the distance, winning three of four races. Distance agreed with the colt, perhaps because he could take his time pushing his competition to their utmost limits before crushing them in one fell swoop. This was his style, and Valencia gloried in it. Twelve furlongs gave them all the time they needed to close in on the field. Valencia smirked as she imagined the possibilities. They were facing a difficult field - Canadian Triple Crown winner Anodyne and proven marathoner Sweet Inferno - but she had the confidence that they could pull this off.

Limited Edition moved with confidence and poise, eyes flashing if any horse got too close. He was willing to flex muscle today, not willing to take no for an answer. A sixth place finish in the Dubai World Cup had really fired the colt up. Defeat was not the song he would sing; he would rather soar to victory. Rather than setting him back, the race had improved his form dramatically. His gallops had been quick and stupendous, his workmanlike attitude returning as he gravely clicked off impressive fractions every week. And now it was time for the final blowout, and they would be in the company of an upcoming blue-blooded prince.

Amber Black smiled as she felt the smooth power of the horse underneath her. This was only their fifth ride together - SOPS had owned the colt for merely two weeks, during which he’d adjusted to the stable and then begun to work out with Amber in the irons, She liked this colt’s spirit, his grave determination, his raw talent. The son of Night Stalker and Fleet Goddess hailed from the best of the best of bloodlines. He had all the talent he needed to get the classic distances over the dirt, and he moved like a true professional. His age had gotten to him in the early half of the season, stunting his performance slightly. His races so far had been good punctuated by flashes of brilliance. Amber intended to make it all brilliance by the time he retired. Fleet Street had been uneasy with her at first, but as he had gotten used to her had relaxed under saddle. Now he moved like the smooth predator he was, all rippling black muscle and veiled energy as they walked over the dirt. He attracted little attention - any horse that wasn’t entered in the Breeders Cup didn’t get any attention this week - but a few gazes did flit their way as they drew alongside Limited Edition and Valencia. Amber felt the sudden weight of interested gazes and smirked. Fleet Street was making his first start off a long layoff in the Blue Mountain Stakes on the Breeders Cup undercard. It was a risky move, but Amber knew what kind of horse she was riding - a good one.

Valencia smirked as she and Ed eyed Fleet up like a freshly cut carrot. Fleet was not perturbed by Ed’s undeniable masculinity, the way he arched his neck and bugled a challenge. He glared out coldly instead, all the sudden strict professionalism, any prior nervousness gone. Amber could have clapped. This was a dangerous horse in the right situation. It was time to give the black juvenile a true test. I want to gallop them for six furlongs, push them for two afterwards. Ed has been working too well lately for a true tune-up, and Fleet doesn’t need anything but the pleasure of your company. Valencia snorted as though wondering if said company would last beyond the first furlong. Amber smiled sweetly and beckoned Valencia with a motion of her hand. Valencia smirked, leaned forward and off the horses went.

Fleet took the slight lead, finding release in stretching his legs out and flying. He was setting a good pace - it was as though the months off had never happened. Amber knew she was sitting on a different animal from the one she had seen in the summer. This was a more mature, fast horse who knew his job better now and was fresh, unlike his juvenile counterparts who could be tired at this point in time. And he moved like that. This suited Ed just fine. The predatory chestnut settled down pretty as you please on Fleet’s outside, galloping strongly and snorting occasionally as though wondering why the pace was so slow. It was actually pretty impressive, Valencia noted - Ed was merely on point. She smirked at the thought.

They clipped off six furlongs in beautiful fashion - and now it was time to figure out what they really had. Valencia said go on Ed just as Amber gave the same command to Fleet. The black juvenile dug in as he was suddenly swarmed by the older horse. Ed found himself facing a worthy foe for one furlong before suddenly he swung on by, reaching down and bursting forward like out of a cannon. His ground-eating stride ate up the ground, leaving Fleet behind. Amber felt Fleet’s distress, felt the colt’s desire to defeat his competition well up. Fleet responded now, accelerating sharply and displaying his heart for all to see, but it was nothing in the face of Ed’s rage. The chestnut colt charged through the final furlong like a horse on fire, and pulled up smugly proud of himself. Fleet came in six lengths behind, a fire burning in his eyes.

Neither horse would be easy to defeat next time out after a blowout like this.